| Keyword | Definition |
|---|---|
| CISC (Complex InStruction Set) | A type of CPU design that aims to speed up performance by supporting a large number of specialised instructions. |
| Contemporary Architecture | Modern additions to CPU design which can improve performance or security |
| Data | Values which can be stored in variables or constants when a program runs. |
| Harvard | A type of processor architecture where instructions and data are stored in separate address spaces both with separate address busses and data busses. |
| Instructions | Program code that can be executed when a program runs. |
| MMX (MultiMedia eXtensions) | An example of contemporary CPU architecture where complex calculations that are frequently used in encoding / decoding multimedia data (e.g. JPG images) can be performed using single specialised instructions. |
| Processor architecture | A type of processor design which specifies how the CPU is connected to the immediate access store. |
| RISC (Reduced InStruction Set) | A type of CPU design that aims to simplify the structure of the ALU, CU and by only supporting a basic instruction set in order to reduce power consumption and cost per core. |
| SIMD (Single Instruction Multiple Data) | An example of contemporary CPU architecture where one instruction performs the same operation on data in multiple locations at the same time |
| Von Neumann | A type of processor architecture where data and instructions are stored in the same address space so there's only one data bus and one address bus. |
